1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to TNT based explosives. More particularly it relates to coated TNT based explosives to prevent so-called cook-off (explosion) when said explosives are exposed to heat or become heated. Still more particularly it relates to a group of coating materials for TNT based explosives that prevent cook-off when said explosives are exposed to thermal conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trinitrotoluene (TNT) alone and as modified with other explosive compositions are available at relatively low cost and are conveniently processed to yield castable explosives. This composition suffers, however, from several disadvantages. TNT containing explosives tend to exude and crack upon temperature cycling, decompose autocatalytically upon being exposed to fuel fires and explode or detonate when in a bomb or warhead configuration, and, further tend to detonate if struck by a bullet or high velocity fragments. These drawbacks have been partially ameliorated in the past by using wax type coatings as desensitizers and process aids. Such wax coatings are deposited irregularly as agglomerates onto the explosive composition. As such, wax coatings tend to run off the explosive composition surface upon exposure to heat and create potential cook-off conditions. Further, the wax obtainable varies in quality thus creating a non-uniform surface.